Whistle-blowing apparatus.



P. W. COLE.

WHISTLE BLOWING APPARATUS. APPLICATION TILED JUNE-4, 1906.

1 ,O50,053, Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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P. .W. COLE.

WHISTLE BLOWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1906.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINUTON, D. c.

P. W. COLE WHISTLE BLOWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1906.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

FREDERICK W. COLE, OF NEWTON HIGHLANDS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GAMEWELL FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NE'W YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

WHISTLE-BLOWING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Jan. 7, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK WV. COLE, of Newton Highlands, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in lVhistle-Blowing Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to whistle blowing apparatus, especially adapted for use in connection with fire-alarm systems, and has for its object to improve the construction of the same to the end that the whistle-valve will be operated to start the blasts immediately after the circuit is opened or the impulses received, and that the blasts will continue for uniform periods of time.

It is herein designed to construct and arrange the device so that the blast will be started as soon as the circuit is opened or the impulse received, that there may be no delay, and also that the blast will continue for a predetermined period of time, regardless of the length of time the circuit remains open, or its normal condition remains changed, and that all parts of the valve ac tuating mechanism shall come to rest promptly at the end of the blast, thereby enabling the apparatus to start each blast from a state of rest. By constructing the device to operate in this manner the signal which is sounded by the whistle will follow the exact spacing of the signal which is transmitted by the signal box, and will be clear and distinct so as to be easily counted. Furthermore, an apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention, will operate rapidly, which at the present time is an important factor.

Figure 1 shows in plan view a whistle blowing apparatus embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the parts being in their normal positions of rest. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line 3-8, the parts being in their normal positions of rest. Fig. t is a sectional detail showing the parts in the position they will. occupy justafter the whistle-valve has been opened. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a por tion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, taken on the dotted line 55, the parts being in their normal positions of rest. Fig. 6 is a detail showing particularly the restoring-device for the actuating mechanism for the whistle valve. Fig. 7 is a detail showing particularly the restoring device for the controlling-lever. Fig. 8 is a detail of the governor which I employ for the time-controlled mechanism.

a represents an electro-magnet which is included in or operated by the fire-alarm circuit, and is adapted to respond directly or indirectly to the impulses of the signals which are transmitted by any usual or suitable fire-alarm signal box.

(4 represents the armature of the electromagnet a, which is borne by a pivoted armature-lever (L in any usual manner. The circuit of the electro-magnet a is designed to be normally closed.

A controlling-lever b is secured to a shaft Z), having its bearings in the side plates of the apparatus. One end of said lever engages the armature-lever a and is thereby normally held in elevated position when the armature is attracted, but will be disengaged therefrom when the armature is retracted, and when disengaged, will be drawn down by a spring Z2 which is connected to it by a link 6 or otherwise, and when thus drawn down, the shaft 7) bearing it will be turned on its axis or rocked. A short arm 0 is secured to said shaft 5, some distance from the controlling-lever b, which extends there from beneath a pin 0, projecting laterally from an ear 0 on a locking lever 0 which is secured to a pivot-shaft a having its bearings in the side plates of the apparatus. The locking-lever c has a limited up and down movement, and to provide for thus limiting its movement afinger 0 extends downward from it, between two pins 0 c".

The locking-lever 0 is lifted by the short arm 0 engaging and lifting the pin 0, and when permitted said lever falls by gravity. The locking-lever c engages the upper end of an arm (Z extended radially in an upvard direction from a hub (Z 'which is mounted'loosely on a shaft (2 arranged below the shaft 5', and a short arm (Z also extends radially from said hub in a clownward direction, to the extremity of which a spring (Z is attached, which acts to hold the arm (Z in engagement with the end of the locking-lever. When the locking-lever is lifted said arm (Z will be disengaged and will be moved forward quickly by the spring (F. A tripping prop (5* is formed on or secured to said hub d Said prop is employed to hold the operating-device for the whistle valve, and which is herein referred to as the actuating-mechanism for the whistle valve, in its normal position ready to operate and open the valve the moment the prop is removed from engagement with it. Hence the tripping prop serves as the holding device for the actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve. The actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve consists of an actuating-lever e and actuating-spring e Said actuating-lever is secured to a pivotshaft 6 having its bearings in the side plates of the apparatus, and which has a cord 6 or equivalent attached to its eX- tremity, which is connected with the whistlevalve lever or with a controlling-valve for the whistle. Said actuating-lever c has a downwardly extended leg 0 forked at its lower end, and one arm of said fork rests upon the holding-device (Z so that the actuating-lever c is normally held in its elevated position by said holding-device, but when said holdingdevice is removed from beneath the leg 0", as shown in Fig. f, the actuating-lever a will be released and will be immediately drawn down by the strong spring 6 which is attached to it and the whistle-valve lever thereby operated to open the valve. The act-uatinglever 6 also has a leg 6 at its extremity, which, by striking a fixed part of the frame, limits its downward movement.

The mechanism, thus described, which is released by the electro-magnet, will operate to open the whistle-valve as soon as the armature lever retracts, so that the whistlevalve will be opened and the blast started promptly upon the reception of the signal impulse. The blast will continue until the whistle-valve is closed, and it is herein designed to close it only at the end of a predetermined period of time, and to then bring the timingmechanism to rest promptly so that each blast will be of the same duration and will be operated under the same conditions, thereby securing the uniformity which is required for accuracy and distinctness.

To close the whistle-valve its actuating mechanism is restored, that is to say, the actuating-lever c is raised against the force of its actuating-spring e. To accomplish this result-the shaft 4 has secured to it a cam 7, which serves as the restoring-device, which is located beneath the other arm of the forked end of the leg 6 of the actuating lever, and is adapted to engage said leg and lift the actuating-lever once during each revolution of the shaft. Normally, the cam 7" occupies the position shown by dotted lines Fig. 3, it having just disengaged the leg, hence the actuating-lever will be lifted by the cam during the latter part of its rot-ation or just before it completes its rota tion.

The shaft d bearing the cam f is rotated by a timed motor-mechanism or train, so as to lift or restore the actuating-lever c and close the whistle-valve at the end of a predetermined period of time. The said train also operates to restore the holding device 05* for said actuating mechanism, and also to restore the controlling-lever Z), as will be hereinafter described. As a motormechanism or train for thus rotating the shaft d. I have herein shown a weightdriven or other power-driven shaft h bearing a ratchet wheel h which engages a pawl if, connected to the face of a toothed gear it, which engages a pinion h secured to a shaft h, bearing a toothed gear h, which engages a pinion 71- secured to the shaft d, and a toothed gear 7&8 is also secured to said shaft d which engages a pinion 7L9 secured to a shaft 72. bearing the governor for con trolling the speed of the train.

All of the shafts of the motor-mechanism have their bearings in the side plates of the frame or they may be otherwise supported.

As a governor I have provided a cross bar it, see Fig. 8, mounted loosely on the shaft in and extended in opposite ways therefrom and bearing at its extremities fanblades 72, The cross-bar is formed with a hub iL- having a circular recess of conical form, adapted to frictionally engage a conical disk 72 which is secured to said shaft, and the cross-bar is engaged or acted upon by a spring [L1G arranged on said shaft h between the cross bar and. a nut on said shaft and by means of said spring its hub it is held in permanent frictional engage ment with the disk h by a yielding pressure which may be regulated by adjusting the nut.

lVhen the shaft starts from a position of rest the governor immediately begins to revolve with it and when said shaft suddenly ceases to revolve, by the stopping of the train, the governor continues to revolve for a short distance and thereby prevents too greata shock to the parts as the train stops. But the friction clutch which is herein provided between the governor and train also acts as a brake to quickly bring the governor to rest and is employed particularly for this purpose. Quickly stopping the train is an important factor in uniform timing the successive blasts, for, if the apparatus does not come to complete rest between each impulse of the signal, then the time elapsing between the end of the first blast and the beginning of the second blast,

or series of blasts, will be shorter than the time which elapses between the succeeding blasts of the series, for the reason that the governor of the train being in motion at the beginning of the second blast of the series will complete its second operation in a shorter period of time than if starting from a state of rest. For a like reason the length of the blast will vary. Heretofore in order to overcome this difliculty slow time for the alarms has been required, so that the variations would not be particularly noticeable, but a slow signal means serious delay to the fire department. lVith a friction brake the parts come to rest so quickly that they are ready to respond to the succeeding impulses in the shortest space of time which is ordinarily required between the blasts of the whistle, and the alarm need never be given a slow time to insure a uniform response or correct counting.

The motor-mechanism or train is released when the electro-magnet operates to disengage the controlling-lever b, to release the holding means for the actuating mechanism for opening the valve, and in practice is indirectly released by said electro-magnet, although, so far as my invention is concerned it is immaterial how it is released so long as it is released simultaneously with or at a. predetermined time with respect to the releasing of the actuating mechanism for the whistle valve, in order that it may perform its functions of restoring said actuating-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time.

As herein shown, the locking-lever c which holds the holdingdevice (Z for the actuating mechanism for opening the whistle valve also act-s to control the starting and stopping of the train, so that whenever the electro-magnet is operated and said actuating mechanism released and the whistlevalve opened, the train will be started and will continue the run, until it, in turn, restores said spring-actuated means and thereby closes the whistle-valve. To thus control the starting and stopping of the train the arm (Z, has a laterally projecting pin 9 which extends between two of the spokes of one of the gears of the train, as for instance, the toothed gear k and when said arm is held at rest, by engagement with the locking-lever 0 the toothed gear will be restrained from rotation by one of its spokes engaging said pin g. Thus the pin 9 on the arm (Z serves as the holding device for the normally wound train. Then the arm (Z is released, it is moved quickly by the spring (Z far enough for the holding device (Z to disengage the actuating-lever e, and for the holding device 9 to be thrust against the next spoke of the toothed gear it Thus the spring actuated holding device (Z is permitted or caused to operate independently of the train, so as to release the actuating mechanism for the whistle valve and permit it to operate independently of the train to open the valve. The actuating-spring (Z of the holding-device is attached to the toothed gear 72, so that as said gear revolves said device will be turned with it on the same axis, and will make a complete revolution, but ust before said toothed gear completes its revolution the cam 7 will raise the actuatinglever e, as shown in Fig. 6, in order that the holding device (Z may pass under one of the arms of the leg 6 As the holding-device completes its revolution, its arm (Z engages the locking-lever and comes to rest. The train, however, continues to operate and revolve the gear-wheel h carrying the restoringcam f with it from beneath the leg a of the actuating-lever until the pin 9 on the arm (Z engages a spoke of the forwardly moving geanwheel when the train ceases to operate. As the cam passes from beneath one arm of the leg 6 the other arm of said leg will be supported upon and by the holding device (Z which has been brought into position beneath it. l/Vhile the train oontinues to operate after the arm (Z of the holding-device has engaged the locking-lever the actuating spring (Z will be extended and thereby restored to its normal condition. Furthermore while the train is thus extending said actuating-spring, said spring exerts a retarding and cushioning effect upon the train, tending to bring it to rest quickly and also to lessen its shock, thereby serving as a buffer. As before stated, the locking-lever falls by gravity when permitted so to act, and as it was lifted by the controlling-lever b it will be permitted to fall when said controlling-lever is restored to its normal position, and to restore said controlling-lever an arm 2' is secured to its pivot-shaft b, which extends downward into the path of movement of a cam i, which is secured to the shaft d, see Fig. 7, and in the normal position of the parts the arm 71 is free to move whenever the controlling-lever is disengaged, and just before the shaft d completes its revolution said cam z" engages said arm 2' and lifts it, turning the shaft bearing the controlling-lever b, and thereby restoring said controlling-lever. It is immaterial just when the controlling-lever is restored so long as it is restored before the shaft cl has made a complete revolution, in order that it may be ready to be again released by the electro-magnet, for it is the time required for the shaft d to make a certain port-ion of a revolution, in the particular construction herein shown, which determines the length of time each blast of the whistle shall continue.

Referring to Fig. at, m, represents the whistle-valve, and m the operating-lever therefor, which is connected by the cord or link 6 with the actuating-lever e of the apparatus, and said valve-operating-lever has connected to it a spring 211 by which it is moved to close the valve.

From the foregoing it will be seen that While the several groups of elements are combined and arranged to operate conjunctively, being more or less dependent on each other for their operations, yet so far as my invention is concerned I do not desire to limit it to the groups of elements thus constructed and arranged.

in the operation of the apparatus it will be noted that the blast oi? the whistle will begin substantially simultaneously with the release of the train, and the time required for the train to overcome its inertia and run far enough to restore the actuating mechanism for the whistle valve, gives the length of time required for the blast, and by utilizing the time required for the train to overcome its inertia in the timing of the blast the greatest etliciency will be obtained, as the time thus required is utilized in timing the blast and the momentum of the train in running is utilized in restoring the actuating mechanism for the whistle-valve. l urthermore, by connecting the actuating-- spring of the holding-device to said train in such manner that said holding-device is restored to normal by the train a cushioning effect is obtained when stopping the train. l urthermore, by connecting the governor with the train by a friction clutch, the brake el'lect th Of is utilized to bring the governor to rest quickly, so that the train may be brought to a state of rest at the end of each blast, in order that it may be started from a state of rest the begin ning of each blast. IV hen thus constructed and arranged the whistle promptly responds to the impuls s and the blasts are of uniform duration, and fast alarms from whistles are obtained. The train can be run very fast and still give the proper length of blast, and the governor can be made very light, and but little power is required to operate the apparatus.

Having thus descril'ied my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. in a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve, means for holding said actuating meelurnism, a timed restoring-train, for restmring said actuating-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time, which is normally disengaged from said actuating-mechanism, means for holding said restoring-train and means for controlling the operation of the holding-means for said aetuating-mechanism and the holdingmeans for said restoring-train including an operating-magnet, whereby said actuatingmechanism is released and permitted to operate the whistleyalve quickly and is subsequently restored by said train, substan tially as described.

2. In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of a normally wound timing-mechanism, holding-means therefor, electro-mag netically controlled means to release said holding-means, actuating-mechanism for the whistle-Valve, holding-means for said actuating-mechanism also arranged to be released by said electr c-magnetically controlled means and simultaneously with the aforesaid holding-means, whereby the actuating-mechanism is permitted to operate the whistle-valve to begin its blast while the timing-mochanism is overcoming its inertia, and means operated by the timing-mechanism for restoring said actuating-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time, and also both holding-means, so that the blast which begins while the timingenechanism is overcoming its inertia is continued while the timing-mechanism is running, substantially as described.

In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of actuating-1nechanism for the whistle-valve, a timed restoringtrain for restoring said actuating-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time, holding devices for said actuating-mechanism. and said restoring-train respectively, both holding-devices being operable independently oi? the timed restoring-train to release respectively the actuating-mechanism and the timed restoring-train, and an electro-magnet controlling the operation of both holding devices, whereby said. actuathug-mechanism. is released and permitted to operate the whistle-valve quickly and is subsequently restored by said train, sub stantially as described.

In a whistle-blowing machine, the comhination of actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve, a tii ed restoring-train for restoring said act-uatiug-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time, holdingdevices for said actuating-mechanism and said restoring-train, respectively, both holding-devices being operable independently of the timed restoring-train to release, respectively, the actuating-mechanism and the timed rest-oi'ingtrain, and electrically controlled means for operating both holding-devices simultaneously. whereby the actuating-mechanisin is released and permitted to operate the whistle-valve quickly and is suliisequently restored by said train, substantially as described.

5, in a whistleblowing machine, the combination of a timirig-mechanism, a springcontrolled actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve, means for holding said actuating-i'nechanisin set in condition to operate independent of said timing-mechanism, restoring-means for said actuating-mechanism and said holding-means operated by said timing-mechanism, said actuating-mechanism being moved by its controlling spring into position to be engaged by its restoringmeans, electro-magnetically controlled means to control the operation of the means for holding the actuating-mechanism and also controlling the starting of the timing mechanism and restoring-means for said electromagnetically controlled means, also operated by said timing-mechanism, substantially as described.

6. In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve, a timing-mechanism for controlling said actuating-mechanism, springactuated holding-devices for holding said actuating-mechanism and said timingmechanism, respectively, in condition to 0perate, electrically controlled means for controlling the operation of said holding-devices, and means operated by the timingmechanism for restoring said actuatingmechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time and for restoring said controlling-means and for placing the actuating-mechanism under the control of its holding-device, substantially as described.

7. In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve, a timed restoring train for restoring said actuating-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time, spring-actuated holding-devices for holding said actuating-mechanism and said restoringtrain, respectively, in condition to operate, a locking-lever adapted to be operated to release both holding-de ices simultaneously, whereby the actuating-mechanism and the restoring-train are simultaneously released, and electrically controlled means for operating said locking-lever, substantially as described.

8. In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of a spring-actuated lever connected with the whistle-valve, a timed restoring-train for said actuating-lever, normally disengaged therefrom but movable into engagement therewith when the latter is released and occupies its abnormal position, spring-actuated holding-devices for said actuating-lever and said restoringtrain, respectively, and electrically controlled means for operating said holding devices, whereby said actuating-lever is released and permitted to operate the whistlevalve quickly and is subsequently restored by said train, substantially as described.

9. In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of a spring-actuated lever connected with the whistlevalve, electrically controlled means for normally holding said lever against the action of its actuatingspring and for releasing it upon a change in the electric-circuit connected therewith, a timed restoring-train normally disengaged from said actuatinglever, for engaging said actuating-lever in its abnormal position and for restoring it at the end of a predetermined period of time, and means for holding said restoring-train, said holding-means being operated to release said restoring-train upon the release of said actuating-lever, substantially as described.

10. In a whistle-blowing machine, the combination of actuating-mechanism for the whistle-valve, a timed restoring-train for restoring said actuating-mechanism at the end of a predetermined period of time, an electrically controlled holding-device for said actuating-mechanism, and a holdingdevice for said restoring-train connected with the aforesaid holding-device, whereby said actuating-mechanism is released and permitted to operate the whistle-valve quickly and is subsequently restored by said train, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK /V. COLE.

Witnesses:

B. J. Noyes, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

